Roblox Temporarily Disables Chat for UAE Users Amid Growing Concerns Over Child Safety and Online Predators

Roblox, the global online gaming platform popular with children and teenagers, has temporarily disabled its chat function for users in the United Arab Emirates. The move comes after the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) and Roblox jointly announced a series of measures aimed at strengthening online safety for minors.

 

According to a social media statement from the TDRA and Roblox, the temporary suspension affects in-platform chat and games that rely on communication features. The statement also detailed enhancements to content moderation in Arabic, improvements to existing parental controls, and a broader suite of safety features to better protect young users. Parents and guardians were urged to actively monitor their children’s online activities and discuss safe gaming practices. Users are encouraged to report concerns directly through Roblox’s in-app reporting tools or to the TDRA.

 

This latest action in the UAE follows similar measures in countries across the region. Oman and Qatar have temporarily banned Roblox after reports surfaced of children being exposed to inappropriate content and predatory behavior. Experts say these steps reflect mounting global concerns over the platform’s ability to safeguard its youngest users.

 

Legal and Regulatory Pressure Intensifies Worldwide

Roblox’s safety challenges extend beyond the UAE. In the United States, the platform faces a series of high-profile lawsuits alleging it failed to protect children from sexual predators, relying on inadequate moderation and age-verification systems. In several countries, including China and Turkey, regulators have also imposed temporary restrictions or bans on the platform in response to reports of minors encountering harmful content.

 

Legal experts note that these cases hinge on whether Roblox breached its duty of care to minors. “Tech companies offering platforms for children have a legal obligation to implement robust safety and moderation systems,” said Sunil Ambalavelil, Chairman of Kaden Boriss. “If courts find that Roblox ignored foreseeable risks or relied on inadequate safeguards, it could be held liable under negligence and child protection laws. The consequences could include damages and stricter regulatory oversight worldwide.”

 

Challenges of Moderation and Safety

Researchers warn that Roblox’s virtual environment can expose children to sexually suggestive spaces or interactions with adults, which can lead to grooming. Critics argue that the platform’s reliance on AI moderation leaves harmful content visible for extended periods. Predators often move conversations off-platform to unmonitored apps such as Discord or Snapchat, further complicating safety efforts.

 

Roblox has responded by implementing stricter age verification processes, banning sexually explicit content, introducing content tagging policies, and deploying AI tools to identify and remove inappropriate servers. The platform also provides parental controls to limit gameplay, communication, and in-game spending, though these require active engagement from parents.

 

Despite ongoing controversies, Roblox remains hugely popular. In Q2 2025, the platform had 111.8 million users, with daily engagement reaching 80 million. Users spent 27.4 billion hours on the platform during the quarter, primarily via mobile devices. Revenue hit $1.08 billion, while creators collectively earned over $1 billion in the past year. Yet, technical outages, moderation lapses, and safety concerns continue to fuel criticism and calls for improved accountability.

 

The Road Ahead

For parents, the question is no longer whether children should play Roblox, but whether the platform can ensure their safety. For Roblox, the challenge is to rebuild public trust while demonstrating it can provide a secure, stable environment for millions of young users worldwide. The UAE’s move to temporarily suspend chat functions underscores the seriousness of these concerns and signals that regulators are increasingly willing to intervene to protect children online.

 

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